Prague (Praha)
Golden City
City
Coat-of-arms
Motto: Praga Caput Rei publicae
Country	Czech Republic
Region	Capital City of Czech
River	Vltava
Elevation	179-399 m (-1,130 ft)
Coordinates	50°05′N 14°25′E / 50.083, 14.417
Area	496 km² (191. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Since January 1 2000 (according to Czech law # 129/2000 o krajích ( about Counties) replacing older paragraph 1/ 1993 in the Czech Constitution The Vltava ( Moldau is the longest River in the Czech Republic, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 51 sq mi)
- metro	6,977 km² (2,694 sq mi)
Population	1,218,644 (2008-3-31)
- metro	1,941,803
Density	2,457 /km² (6,364 /sq mi)
Founded	9th century
Mayor	Pavel Bém
Timezone	CET (UTC+1)
- summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	1xx xx
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Name	Historic Centre of Prague
Year	1992 (#16)
Number	616
Region	Europe and North America
Criteria	ii, iv, vi
Website: www.cityofprague.cz

Prague (IPA: /ˈprɑːg/, Czech: Praha (IPA: [ˈpraɦa]), see also other names), is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. The 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. Pavel Bém (born July 18, 1963) is a Czech doctor and politician Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. Asia Minor, Cyprus, all of the Aegean Islands, the Canaries A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex Czech (ˈʧɛk čeština ˈʧɛʃcɪna in Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers it is the majority language in the M N O P Prague --> The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, Its official name is Hlavní město Praha, meaning Prague - the Capital City.

Situated on the River Vltava in central Bohemia, Prague has been the political, cultural, and economic centre of the Czech state for over 1100 years. The Vltava ( Moldau is the longest River in the Czech Republic, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the The city proper is home to more than 1. 2 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 1. 9 million. ^[1]

Prague is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe^[2] and is among the most visited cities on the continent. ^[3] Since 1992, the extensive historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a site (such as a Forest, Mountain, Lake, Desert, Monument, Building, complex According to Guinness World Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records (and in previous U Prague Castle (Pražský hrad is a Castle in Prague where the Czech kings Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia Nicknames for Prague have included "the mother of cities" (Praga mater urbium, or "Praha matka měst" in Czech)", "city of a hundred spires" and "the golden city"^[4]. A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building particularly a church Tower.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Ancient Prague 1.2 The era of Charles IV 1.3 The Habsburg era 1.4 20th century 1.4.1 1st Republic 1.4.2 Second World War 1.4.3 Prague in the Cold War 1.4.4 Era after the Velvet Revolution 2 Sights 3 Culture 4 Economy 5 Colleges and universities 6 Transport 6.1 Rail 6.2 Air 6.3 Taxis 7 Sport 8 Miscellaneous 9 Prague as a venue 10 International relations 11 In Popular culture 12 See also 13 References 14 External Links and Readings

History

Main article: History of Prague

The history of Prague spans over thousands of years, during which time the city grew from the Vyšehrad Castle to the multicultural capital of a modern European state, the Czech Republic. The history of Prague spans over thousands of years during which time the city grew from the Vyšehrad Castle to the multicultural capital of a modern European Vyšehrad is a Castle located in the Czech Republic, built in the 10th century, on a hill over the Vltava River. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia,

Ancient Prague

The area on which Prague was founded was settled in ancient times since the Paleolithic Age. The Vltava ( Moldau is the longest River in the Czech Republic, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, The term Paleolithic (or Palaeolithic) (from Greek παλαιός palaios, " Old " and λίθος Lithos, "stone" Around 200 BCE the Celts had a settlement in the south, called Závist, but later they were replaced by Germanic tribes. Celts (ˈkɛlts or /ˈsɛlts/, see Names of the Celts The Germanic peoples are a historical group of Indo-European -speaking peoples originating in Northern Europe and identified by their use of the Germanic The Slavs conquered the site from the 4th century CE onward, though for a period were subdued by the Eurasian Avars. The Caucasian Avars are a modern people of Caucasus, mainly of Dagestan. According to a legend, Prague was founded by the Princess Libuše and her husband, Přemysl, founder of the dynasty with the same name. Libuše ( Czech; in German Libussa or Libuscha) is a mythical ancestor of the Přemyslid dynasty and the Czech people as This article is about an ancient Czech ruler For other meanings see Przemysl. Whether this legend is true or not, Prague's first nucleus was founded in the latter part of the 9th century as a castle on a hill commanding the right bank of the Vltava: this is known as Vyšehrad ("high castle") to differentiate from another castle which was later erected on the opposite bank, the future Prague Castle. The Vltava ( Moldau is the longest River in the Czech Republic, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, Prague Castle (Pražský hrad is a Castle in Prague where the Czech kings Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia Soon the city became the seat of the dukes and kings of Bohemia. Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the It was an important seat for trading where merchants coming from all Europe settled, including many Jews, as recalled in 965 by the Jewish merchant and traveller Ibrahim ibn Ya'qub. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ The Old New Synagogue of 1270 survives. The Old New Synagogue (Altneuschule Altneusynagoge Staronová Synagoga situated in Josefov, Prague, is Europe's oldest active Synagogue. The city became a bishopric in 973.

King Vladislav II had a first bridge on the Vltava built in 1170, the Judith Bridge, which crumbled down in 1342. For other monarchs with similar names please see Ladislaus II (disambiguation Vladislaus II (Vladislav (c The Vltava ( Moldau is the longest River in the Czech Republic, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, The Charles Bridge was later built on its foundations. Charles Bridge (Karlův most) is a famous historical Bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic.

In 1257, under King Otakar II, Malá Strana ("Lesser Quarter") was founded in Prague in the future Hradčany area: it was the district of the German people. Malá Strana (Prager Kleinseite both meaning in English literally "Little Side", though more frequently referred to as "Lesser Town", "Lesser Hradčany ( German Hradschin) the Castle District, is the Prague district surrounding the Prague Castle. These had the right to administrate the law autonomously, pursuant to Magdeburg Rights. Magdeburg Rights (Magdeburger Recht or Magdeburg Law were a set of German town laws regulating the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages granted with The new district was on the opposite bank of the Staré Město ("Old Town"), which had a borough status and was defended by a line of walls and fortifications.

The era of Charles IV

The city flourished during the 14th century reign of Charles IV of the new Luxembourg dynasty. Charles IV ( Czech: Karel IV, German: Karl IV, Hungarian: IV Károly; 14 May 1316 &ndash The House of Luxembourg was a mediæval Luxembourgian noble family He ordered the building of the New Town (Nové Město) adjacent to the Old Town. The New Town ( Nové město) is a quarter in the city of Prague in the Czech Republic. The Charles Bridge was erected to connect the new district to Malá Strana. Monuments by Charles include the Saint Vitus Cathedral, the oldest gothic cathedral in central Europe, which is actually inside the Castle, and the Charles University. Saint Vitus's Cathedral (Katedrála svatého Víta is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Charles University in Prague (also simply Charles University; Univerzita Karlova v Praze Universitas Carolina Karls-Universität zu Prag is the oldest and largest The latter is the oldest university in central Europe. Prague was then the third-largest city in Europe. Under Charles Prague was, from 1355, the actual capital of the Holy Roman Empire, and its rank was elevated to that of archbishopric (1344). The Holy Roman Empire ( HRE; German Heiliges Römisches Reich (HRR, Latin Sacrum Romanum Imperium (SRI was a union of territories in It had a mint, and German and Italian merchants, as well as bankers, were present in the city. A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures Coins for Currency. The' Italian people' are a Southern European Ethnic group located primarily in Italy, Switzerland, France and by virtue of a wide-ranging The social order, however, became more turbulent due to the rising power of the craftsmen's guild (themselves often torn by internal fights), and the presence of increasing number of poor people. An artisan, also called a Craftsman, is a skilled manual worker who crafts items that may be functional or strictly decorative including furniture clothing A guild is an association of craftsmen in a particular trade The earliest guilds were formed as confraternities of workers

Under King Wenceslas IV (1378-1419) Jan Hus, a theologian and lector at the University, held his preachers and sermons in Prague. Wenceslaus (also Wenceslas, Wenzel Václav Venceslao February 26, 1361 – August 16 1419) called the Drunkard, was Jan Hus ( (ˈjan ˈɦus alternative spellings John Hus, Jan Huss, John Huss) (c Since 1402 he summoned his followers in the Bethlehem Chapel, speaking in Czech language in order to enlarge as much as possible the diffusion of his ideas about the renovation of the church. Having become too dangerous for the political and religious establishment, Hus was burned in Konstanz in 1415. Konstanz (in English formerly known as Constance) is a university town of around 80000 inhabitants at the western end of Lake Constance Four years later Prague experienced its first defenestration, when the people rebelled under the command of the Prague priest Jan Želivský and threw the city's counsellors from the New Town Hall. Jan Želivský ( 1380 - 9 March 1422) was a Czech priest and a radical representative of the Hussite reformation Hus' death had spurred the so-called Hussite Wars. The Hussite Wars, also called the Bohemian Wars involved the military actions against and amongst the followers of Jan Hus in Bohemia in the period 1420 In 1420 peasant rebels, led by the famous general Jan Žižka, along with Hussite troops from Prague, defeated the Bohemian King Sigismund, in the Battle of Vítkov Hill. Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha (English John Zizka of Trocnov, German Johann Ziska or Johann Schischka) (c Bohemia (Čechy; Bohemia Czechy is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands, currently the For other nobles of the same name please see Sigismund. Sigismund ( February 14, 1368 – December 9, The Battle of Vítkov Hill was a part of the Hussite Wars. The battle pitted the forces of Emperor Sigismund Holy Roman Emperor against Hussite forces

In the following two centuries Prague strengthened its role as a merchant city. Many noteworthy Gothic buildings were erected, including the Vladislav Hall of the Prague Castle.

The Habsburg era

In 1526 the Kingdom of Bohemia was handed over to the House of Habsburg: the fervent Catholicism of its members was to have grievous consequences in Bohemia, and then in Prague, where Protestant ideas were having instead increasing success. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. These problems were not preeminent under Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, elected King of Bohemia in 1576, who chose Prague as his home. Rudolf II ( July 18, 1552, Vienna, Austria - January 20, 1612, Prague, Bohemia, now part of He lived in the Prague Castle where he held his bizarre courts of astrologers, magicians, and other strange figures. Rudolf was an art lover too and Prague became the capital of European culture. This was a prosperous period for the city: famous people living there in that age include the astronomers Tycho Brahe and Johann Kepler, the painter Arcimboldo, the alchemists Edward Kelley and John Dee, the poetess Elizabeth Jane Weston, and others. Tycho Brahe, born Tyge Ottesen Brahe ( December 14 1546 &ndash October 24 1601) was a Danish nobleman Johannes Kepler (ˈkɛplɚ ( December 27 1571 &ndash November 15 1630) was a German Mathematician, Astronomer Giuseppe Arcimboldo (also spelled Arcimboldi; 1527 - July 11 1593) was an Italian painter best known for creating imaginative Edward Kelley or Kelly, also known as Edward Talbot ( August 1, 1555 –1597 was a convicted English criminal and self-declared John Dee (13 July 1527 – 1608 or 1609 was a noted English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, occultist Elizabeth Jane Weston (1581 – 1612 also known as Westonia was born to Jane Cooper in Chipping Norton Oxfordshire, England

In 1618 the famous Defenestration of Prague provoked the Thirty Years' War. The Defenestrations of Prague were two incidents in the history of Bohemia. For the Mauritanian Thirty Years' War see Char Bouba war. For the band see The 30 Years War. Ferdinand II of Habsburg was deposed, and his place as King of Bohemia taken by Frederick V, Elector Palatine. Frederick V (Friedrich V ( August 26 1596 – November 29 1632) was Elector Palatine (1610–23 and as Frederick I But the Czech army was crushed in the Battle of White Mountain (1620), not far from the city, and thenceforth Prague and Bohemia lived a harsh period in which religious tolerance was abolished and Catholic Counter-Reformation became dominant in every aspect of life. The Battle of White Mountain, November 8, 1620 ( Bílá hora is the name of White Mountain in Czech was an early Battle in the In 1621 there was an execution of 27 Czech lords (involved in the Battle of White Mountain) in the Old Town Square. The city suffered also under Saxon (1631) and Swedish (1648) occupation. The Battle of Prague took place in 1648 and was the last action of the Thirty Years' War. Moreover, after the Peace of Westphalia of the latter year, Ferdinand moved the court to Vienna, and Prague began a steady decline which reduced the population from the 60,000 it had had in the years before the war to 20,000. The term Peace of Westphalia refers to the two peace treaties of Osnabrück and Münster, signed on May 15 and October 24 of Life Eldest son of Emperor Ferdinand II from the house of Habsburg and his first wife Maria Anna of Bavaria.

In 1689 a great fire devastated Prague, but this spurred a renovation and a rebuilding of the city. In 1713–1714, a major outbreak of plague hit Prague one last time. Plague is a deadly Infectious disease caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis (Pasteurella pestis. The economic rise continued through the following century, and the city in 1771 had 80,000 inhabitants. Many of these were rich merchants who, together with noblemen of German, Spanish and even Italian origin, enriched the city with a host of palaces, churches and gardens, creating a Baroque style renowned throughout the world. In 1784, under Joseph II, the four municipalities of Malá Strana, Nové Město, Staré Město and Hradcany were merged into a single entity. Joseph II may refer to either Joseph II Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople Joseph II The Jewish district, called Josefov, was included only in 1850. The Industrial Revolution had a strong effect in Prague, as factories could take advantage of the coal mines and ironworks of the nearby region. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the A first suburb, Karlín, was created in 1817, and twenty years later population exceeded 100,000. The first railway connection was built in 1842.

The revolutions that shocked all Europe around 1848 touched Prague too, but they were fiercely suppressed. The European Revolutions of 1848, known in some countries as the Spring of Nations or the Year of Revolution, were a series of political upheavals throughout the European In the following years the Czech nationalist movement (opposed to another nationalist party, the German one) began its rise, until it gained the majority in the Town Council in 1861.

20th century

At the beginning of the 20th century Czech lands were the most productive part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and some Czech politics began with attempts to separate it from Habsburg empire.

1st Republic

article about First Republic of Czechoslovakia

World War I ended with the defeat of the Austrian Empire and the creation of Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak Republic ( Československá republika) refers to the first Czechoslovak state that existed from 1918 to 1939 Czechoslovakia may also refer to what is now the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Prague was chosen as its capital and Prague Castle as the seat of president (Tomáš Masaryk). Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk (ˈtomaːʃ ˈɡarɪk ˈmasarɪk sometimes called Thomas Masaryk in English ( March 7, 1850 – September 14, At this time Prague was a true European capital with a very developed industry. In 1930 the population had risen to a startling 850,000.

Second World War

article about the Occupation of Czechoslovakia

Hitler ordered Germany's army to enter Prague on 15 March 1939 and from Prague Castle proclaimed Bohemia and Moravia a German protectorate. Events 44 BC - Julius Caesar, Dictator of the Roman Republic, is stabbed to death by Marcus Junius Brutus, Year 1939 ( MCMXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (Reichsprotektorat Böhmen und Mähren Protektorát Čechy a Morava was the majority ethnic-Czech Protectorate which For most of its history Prague had been a multiethnic city with important Czech, German, and (mostly Czech- and/ or German-speaking) Jewish populations. The Czech Jews did not speak Yiddish. From 1939, when the country was occupied by Nazi Germany, and during World War II, most Jews either fled the city or were killed in the Holocaust. The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as The German population, which had formed the majority of the city's inhabitants until the 19th century, was expelled in the aftermath of the war. In 1942 Prague was witness to the assassination of one of the most powerful men in Nazi Germany - Reinhard Heydrich (during Operation Anthropoid). Reinhard Tristan Eugen Heydrich ( 7 March 1904 &ndash 4 June 1942) was an SS - Obergruppenführer, chief Operation Anthropoid was the code name for the Assassination of top German leader Reinhard Heydrich. Hitler ordered bloody reprisals. At the end of the war Prague suffered a bombing raid by the U. The Bombing of Prague occurred during the end of World War II ( February 14, 1945) when the US Army Air Forces carried out an air raid over S. Air Force by mistake (the target was Dresden, 83 miles away). Hundreds of people were killed and some important buildings and factories were destroyed. Prague had revolted against the Nazi occupants as early as 5 May 1945 (see Prague uprising). Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar For the events of Spring 1968 see Prague Spring The Prague uprising ( Czech: Pražské povstání was an attempt by the Czech resistance Four days later the Soviet army entered the city. The Red Army ( Russian: Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная Армия R aboche- K rest'yanskaya K rasnaya A rmiya After this fierce acts of revenge against the German minority of the city were perpetrated and many German civilians were killed by Czech militias until the government slowly put an end to these acts of revenge. The surviving Germans were deported from Prague to West Germany [1]. West Germany ( Inf German: Westdeutschland or West-Deutschland) was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (

Prague in the Cold War

Main article: Czechoslovakia: 1948-1968

Prague was a city in the territory of military and political control of Soviet Union (see Iron Curtain). Stalinization (1948&ndash1963 Following the coup d'état of February 1948, when the Communists definitively took power in Czechoslovakia the country was declared a People's The " Iron Curtain " was the symbolic ideological and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II until the end It, however, suffered under the totalitarian regime, in spite of the rather careful program of rebuilding and caring of the damaged monuments after World War II. The 4th Czechoslovakian Writers' Congress held in the city in 1967 took a strong position against the regime. This spurred the new secretary of the Communist Party, Alexander Dubček to proclaim a new deal in his city's and country's life, starting the short-lived season of the "socialism with a human face". It was the Prague Spring, which aimed at the renovation of institutions in a democratic way. The Prague Spring ( Czech: Pražské jaro, Slovak: Pražská jar) was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during The Soviet Union and its allies reacted with the invasion of Czechoslovakia and the capital in August 1968 by 7,000 tanks, suppressing any attempt at renovation.

Era after the Velvet Revolution

In 1989, after riot police beat back a peaceful student demonstration, the Velvet Revolution crowded the streets of Prague and the Czech capital benefited greatly of the new mood. Malá Strana (Prager Kleinseite both meaning in English literally "Little Side", though more frequently referred to as "Lesser Town", "Lesser The " Velvet Revolution " (sametová revoluce nežná revolúcia ( November 16 &ndash December 29 1989) refers to a non-violent In 1993, after the split of Czechoslovakia, Prague became the capital city of the new Czech Republic. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, In the late 90's Prague became again an important cultural centre of Europe and was notably influenced by globalization). Globalization (or globalisation) in its literal sense is the process of transformation of local or regional phenomena into global ones In 2000 anti-globalization protests in Prague (some 15,000 protesters) turned violent during the IMF and World Bank summits. In 2002 Prague suffered from widespread flooding.

Sights

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, Prague has become one of Europe's (and the world's) most popular tourist destinations. The Prague Astronomical Clock or Prague Orloj (Pražský orloj ɔrlɔi is a Medieval Astronomical clock located in Prague, the capital of The Dancing House (Tančící dům is the nickname given to the Nationale-Nederlanden building in downtown Prague, Czech Republic at Rašínovo nábřeží 80 120 The " Iron Curtain " was the symbolic ideological and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II until the end It is the sixth most-visited European city after London, Paris, Rome, Madrid and Berlin. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 Madrid (pronounced in English in Spanish and colloquially in Spain) is the Capital and largest city of Spain. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. ^[3] Prague suffered considerably less damage during World War II than some other major cities in the region, allowing most of its historic architecture to stay true to form. It contains one of the world's most pristine and varied collections of architecture, from Art Nouveau to Baroque, Renaissance, Cubist, Gothic, Neo-Classical and ultra-modern. Art Nouveau ( nu vo anglicised /ˈɑːt nuːvəu/ ( French for 'new art' also known as Jugendstil ( German for 'youth style' is an international Baroque art redirects here Please disambiguate such links to Baroque painting, Baroque sculpture, etc The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth" Italian: Rinascimento, from re- "again" and nascere Cubism was a 20th century Avant-garde Art movement, pioneered by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, that revolutionized European See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and Some of the most known sights are:

• Old Town (Staré Město) with its Old Town Square
• The Astronomical Clock
• The picturesque Charles Bridge
• The vaulted gothic Old New Synagogue of 1270. See other places named Staré Město. Old Town (Staré Město is the original place of settlement of Prague, Czech Republic Old Town Square ( Czech:) is a historic square in the Old Town quarter of Prague in the Czech Republic at. The Prague Astronomical Clock or Prague Orloj (Pražský orloj ɔrlɔi is a Medieval Astronomical clock located in Prague, the capital of Charles Bridge (Karlův most) is a famous historical Bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. The Old New Synagogue (Altneuschule Altneusynagoge Staronová Synagoga situated in Josefov, Prague, is Europe's oldest active Synagogue.
• New Town (Nové město) with its busy and historic Wenceslas Square
• Malá Strana (Lesser Quarter)
• Prague Castle (the largest castle in the world) with its St. Vitus Cathedral
• Josefov (the old Jewish quarter) with Old Jewish Cemetery and Old New Synagogue
• Jan Žižka equestrian statue in Vítkov park, Žižkov - Prague 3. The New Town ( Nové město) is a quarter in the city of Prague in the Czech Republic. Wenceslas Square ( Czech:) is one of the main city squares and the centre of the business and cultural communities in the New Town of Prague, Malá Strana (Prager Kleinseite both meaning in English literally "Little Side", though more frequently referred to as "Lesser Town", "Lesser Prague Castle (Pražský hrad is a Castle in Prague where the Czech kings Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia Saint Vitus's Cathedral (Katedrála svatého Víta is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in Prague, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. Josefov (also Jewish quarter; Josephstadt in German is a town quarter and the smallest cadastral area of Prague, today Czech Republic The Old Jewish Cemetery lies in the Josefov (the Jewish Quarter of Prague) The Old New Synagogue (Altneuschule Altneusynagoge Staronová Synagoga situated in Josefov, Prague, is Europe's oldest active Synagogue. Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha (English John Zizka of Trocnov, German Johann Ziska or Johann Schischka) (c
• The Lennon Wall
• Vinohrady
• The museum of Heydrich assassination in the crypt of the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius
• National Museum
• Vyšehrad castle
• Petřínská rozhledna, an observation tower on Petřín hill, which resembles the Eiffel Tower
• Anděl (neighborhood) which is probably the busiest part of the city with a super modern shopping mall and architecture
• Žižkov Television Tower with observation deck - Prague 3. The Lennon Wall was formerly an ordinary historic Wall in Prague, but since the 1980s people have filled it with John Lennon -inspired Graffiti Vinohrady (in English literally "vineyards" formerly Královské Vinohrady, Königliche Weinberge is a cadastral district in Prague. Operation Anthropoid was the code name for the Assassination of top German leader Reinhard Heydrich. The Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius is an 18th century church in the center of Prague, Czech Republic. The National museum (Národní muzeum is a Czech Museum institution intended to systematically establish prepare and publicly exhibit natural scientific and historical Vyšehrad is a Castle located in the Czech Republic, built in the 10th century, on a hill over the Vltava River. The Petřínská rozhledna (Petřín lookout tower is a 60 metre high steel framework tower in Prague, which strongly resembles the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower (Tour Eiffel /tuʀ ɛfɛl/ is an Iron Tower built Anděl is a busy crossing and its immediate neighbourhood in Prague 5 's central quarter of Smíchov. The Žižkov Television Tower is a uniquely-designed tower built in Prague between 1985 and 1992.
• The New Jewish Cemetery in Olšany, location of Franz Kafka's grave - Prague 3.
• The Metronome, a giant, functional metronome that looms over the city
• The Dancing House (Fred and Ginger Building)
• The Mucha Museum, showcasing the Art Nouveau works of Alfons Mucha
• Places connected to writers living in the city, such as Franz Kafka (One popular destination is the Franz Kafka museum)

Culture

Prague is traditionally one of the cultural centres of Europe, hosting many cultural events.

Significant cultural institutions:

• National Theatre
• Estates Theatre, premiere of Mozart's Don Giovanni was held there
• The Rudolfinum (home to the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra)
• State Opera
• National Museum
• Náprstek Museum
• National Library
• National Gallery

There are hundreds of concert halls, galleries, cinemas and music clubs in the city. The Národní Divadlo or the National Theatre in Prague is known as the Alma Mater of Czech Opera, and as the national The Estates Theatre or Stavovské divadlo is a historic Theatre in Prague, Czech Republic. Don Giovanni ( K527; complete title Il dissoluto punito ossia il Don Giovanni, literally "The Rake Punish'd or Don Giovanni The Rudolfinum is a music auditorium and one of the most important Neo-renaissance buildings in Prague. The Česká filharmonie ( Czech Philharmonic) is a Symphony orchestra based in Prague and is perhaps the most well known and respected orchestra in the Prague State Opera (Czech Státní opera Praha is an Opera and Ballet company in Prague, Czech Republic, and is one of the most important The National museum (Národní muzeum is a Czech Museum institution intended to systematically establish prepare and publicly exhibit natural scientific and historical The Naprstek Museum is a museum of Asian African and American art in the city of Prague. The Clementinum ( Klementinum in Czech) is a historical complex of buildings in Prague. The National Gallery in Prague (Národní galerie v Praze is the Czech National Gallery in Prague. Prague hosts Music Festivals including the Prague Spring International Music Festival, the Prague Autumn International Music Festival and the Prague International Organ Festival. This is a list of Festivals. List of festivals by country See:CategoryFestivals by country Music The Prague Spring International Music Festival ( Mezinárodní hudební festival Pražké jaro) is a permanent showcase for outstanding performing artists symphony orchestras Prague Autumn International Music Festival is the second largest classical music festival in Prague held annually in September Prague International Organ Festival is a festival for organ lovers held annually in Prague, presenting a series of concerts by well-known organ virtuosos from all Film Festivals include the Febiofest, the One World and Echoes of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. A film festival is the presentation or showcasing of Films in one or more Movie theaters or screening venues Febiofest is the largest Film festival in the Czech Republic and the second most prestigious festival in the country (after Karlovy Vary) One World is a human rights' documentary film festival held annually in Prague ( Czech Republic) The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is a Film festival held annually in July in Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad Czech Republic. Prague also hosts the Prague Writers Festival, the Prague Fringe Festival, the World Roma Festival as well as hundreds of Vernissages and Fashion Shows. Prague Writers' Festival is one of the most lively cultural events in Prague and one of the more notable Literary events in Europe. The Prague Fringe Festival is an annual event held every May and June in Prague, Czech Republic. The World Roma Festival or Khamoro is an international Romani festival held annually in the city of Prague, Czech Republic. A vernissage ( Varnishing ' from French) also known as a Preview, Private view or simply opening, is the A fashion show is an event put on by a Fashion designer to showcase his or her upcoming line of Clothing.

Many films have been made at the Barrandov Studios. Barrandov Studios are a famous set of Film studios in Prague, Czech Republic. Hollywood movies set in Prague include Mission Impossible, Blade II and xXx. Mission Impossible (often referred to as Mission Impossible The Original Series) is an American Television series that chronicles Blade II is a 2002 vampire Action film directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Wesley Snipes. XXX may refer to XXX an identifier for Pornography, especially X-rated movies 30 (number, XXX in Roman numerals Among others, Czech films Empties and The Fifth Horseman is Fear were shot in Prague. Empties (known in Czech as Vratné lahve) is a 2007 Film directed by Jan Svěrák and written by his father Zdeněk Svěrák. The Fifth Horseman is Fear is 1964 Czech New Wave film about The Holocaust that was directed by Zbynek Brynych. Also, the music video to Diamonds from Sierra Leone by Kanye West was shot in Prague, and features shots of the Charles Bridge and the Astronomical Clock, among others. " Diamonds from Sierra Leone" was the first single from Kanye West 's second album Late Registration. Kanye Omari West (ˈkɑnjɛj born June 8 1977 is a ten-time Grammy Award -winning American Rapper, Record producer and Singer.

Prague restaurant Allegro received the 1st Michelin star in the whole Eastern Europe (post-communist Europe). Allegro is a top restaurant in Prague Four Seasons hotel It is the 1st eastern-European restaurant to obtain the star from prestigious Michelin Guide. The Michelin Guide ( Le Guide Michelin) is a series of annual Guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries

Economy

The GDP per capita of Prague is more than double that of the Czech Republic as a whole, with a per-capita GDP (PPP) of 33,784 (purchasing power standard) in 2004, which is 157. 1% of the European Union average, ranking Prague among the 12 richest EU regions ^[5], in Purchasing Power. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in However, the price level is significantly lower than in comparable cities.

The city is the site of the European headquarters of many international companies.

Since the late 1990s, Prague has become a popular filming location for international productions and Hollywood motion pictures. A combination of architecture, low costs and the existing motion picture infrastructure have proved attractive to international film production companies.

Colleges and universities

The city contains several universities and colleges:

• Charles University (UK) founded in 1348 (the oldest university in Central and Eastern Europe)
• Czech Technical University (ČVUT) founded in 1707
• Academy of Fine Arts (AVU) founded in 1800
• Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design (VŠUP) founded in 1885
• The New Anglo-American College (AAC) founded in 1990
• Institute of Chemical Technology (VŠCHT) founded in 1920
• Academy of Performing Arts (AMU) founded in 1945
• Czech University of Agriculture (ČZU) founded in 1906/1952
• University of Economics (VŠE) founded in 1953
• Institute of Information Theory and Automation (UTIA) founded in 1959
• University of New York in Prague[2] (UNYP) founded in 1998

Transport

The public transport infrastructure consists of an integrated transport system of Prague Metro (with 51 stations in total), Prague Tram System (including the "nostalgic tram" no. 91), buses, the Petřín funicular to Petřín Hill, and three ferries. The Prague Metro is a subway underground Public transportation network in Prague, Czech Republic. The Prague Tram (streetcar system is the largest tram system in the Czech Republic, consisting of 140 kilometres of track over 900 tram cars and The Petřín funicular is a funicular railway in the Czech capital city of Prague. Petřín (327 m is a hill in the center of Prague, Czech Republic. All services have a common ticketing system, and are run by Prague Public Transit Co. Inc. (Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy, a. s. ) and some other companies (full list).

Rail

The city forms the hub of the Czech railway system, with services to all parts of the Czech Republic and abroad. České dráhy or Czech Railways (ČD or CD is the main railway operator of the Czech Republic and provides Passenger and Freight

Prague has two international railway stations, Hlavní nádraží (sometimes referred to as Wilsonovo nádraží) and Praha-Holešovice. Prague Main railway station (in Czech: Praha hlavní nádraží, abbreviated as Praha hl Intercity services also stop at the main stations Praha-Smíchov and Masarykovo nádraží. In addition to these, there are a number of smaller suburban stations. In the future rail should play a greater role in Prague Public Transport System.

Air

Prague is served by Ruzyně International Airport, the biggest airport in the Czech Republic and one of the busiest and the most modern in Central and Eastern Europe. Ruzyně Airport serves Prague, Czech Republic. Located 10 km from the city centre the airport is a hub for Czech Airlines. It is the hub of the flag carrier, Czech Airlines and of the low-cost airlines SkyEurope and Smart Wings operating throughout Europe. Czech Airlines jsc (České aerolinie as Trading as Czech Airlines ( Abbreviation: ČSA) is the Czech national Airline SkyEurope Airlines is a Low-cost airline headquartered in Bratislava, with its main base at M Smart Wings is a Low-cost airline based in Prague, Czech Republic. Other airfields in Prague include the city's original airport in the suburb of Kbely, and Letňany which is mainly used for private aviation and domestic flights. Tocna, is located in the southwest part of the City and serves mostly as an aeroclub.

Taxis

Taxi services in Prague can be divided into three sectors. There are major taxicab companies, operating call-for-taxi services (radio-taxi) or from regulated taxi stands, where overpricing is rare and regulation mostly in place. There are independent drivers, who make pickups on the street; cheating is mostly associated with these cars. The problem with overcharging is so huge, that it's mentioned in Lonely Planet guide books and it was featured on CNN couple of years ago. Tourists taking taxi in Prague are being advised to be very careful, request a receipt and make sure to know the approximate amount to be charged before entering the cab.

Sport

Prague is the site of many sports events, national stadiums and teams

• Prague International Marathon
• Slavia Prague -> UEFA Champions League
• Sparta Prague -> UEFA Cup
• Sazka Arena -> NHL 2008 Opening Game, 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships and Euroleague Final Four
• Strahov Stadium — the second-largest stadium in the world
• Mystic SK8 Cup — World cup of skateboarding
• Prague open — prestige Floorball cup
• Prague cup — annual synchronized skating competition
• and more

Miscellaneous

Prague is also the site of the most important offices and institutions of the Czech Republic and Central Europe. A modern stadium (plural stadiums or stadia in English is a place or venue for (mostly outdoor Sports Concerts or other events consisting TEAMS ( The East African Marine System) is an initiative spearheaded by the government of Kenya to link the country to the rest of the world through a submarine Fibre The Prague International Marathon or PIM is a race in the city of Prague Czech Republic, held every year in May See also List of European Cup and UEFA Champions League winners The UEFA Champions League, which evolved from the European Champion Clubs' Cup is a seasonal club The UEFA Cup is a football competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA. O2 Arena, formerly Sazka Arena, is a multifunctional Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. The National Hockey League ( NHL) is a professional Ice hockey league composed of 30 teams in North America The 2004 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held April 24-May 9 2004 in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic. EuroLeague WomenThe Euroleague (EL is one of the professional Basketball competitions in Europe, with teams from thirteen different European countries The Great Strahov Stadium ( Velký strahovský stadion in Czech) is a Stadium in the Strahov district of Prague, Czech World Cup of Skateboarding (WCSK8 is an international Skateboarding federation organising the official World Championships of Skateboarding series (taking place in many cities Floorball is an indoor Team sport that was developed in Sweden in the late 1970's The Žižkov Television Tower is a uniquely-designed tower built in Prague between 1985 and 1992.

• President of the Czech Republic
• The Government and both houses of Parliament
• Czech Television and other major broadcasters
• Radio Free Europe — Radio Liberty
• Prague Institute for Global Urban Development

Prague as a venue

Recent major events held in Prague:

• 21st Coaltrans World Coal Conference 2001
• NATO Summit 2002
• International Monetary Fund and World Bank Summit 2000
• International Olympic Committee Session 2004
• International Astronomical Union General Assembly 2006

International relations

Prague is involved in a number of official as well as unofficial partnerships with other major world cities. The President of the Czech Republic is the Head of state of the Czech Republic. Politically the Czech Republic is a multi-party parliamentary representative democratic Republic. The Parliament of the Czech Republic (Parlament České republiky is the legislative body of the Czech Republic, based in Prague. Česká televize ʧɛskaː tɛlɛvɪzɛ ( Czech television) is the public Television broadcaster in the Czech Republic. This article is about the radio broadcast service For the REM This article is about the radio broadcast service For the REM The Prague Institute for Global Urban Development is a research institute which advises Urban planners globally The North Atlantic Treaty The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic The World Bank is an internationally supported Bank that provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries for development programs (e ^[6] The city of Prague also maintains its own EU delegation in Brussels called Prague House. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is ^[7]

Partner cities:

official: Bilbao, Spain Berlin, Germany, 1996 Brussels, Belgium, 2003 Chicago, United States, 1990 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 1990 Hamburg, Germany, 1990 Kyoto, Japan, 1996 Moscow, Russia, 2000 Nuremberg, Germany, 1990 Paris, France, 1997 Phoenix, United States, 1991 Saint Petersburg, Russia, 1992 Taipei, Republic of China, 2001 Jasło, Poland, 2008

unofficial: Birmingham, United Kingdom Bratislava, Slovakia Budapest, Hungary Cali, Colombia Copenhagen, Denmark Helsinki, Finland Jerusalem, Israel Lisbon, Portugal Riga, Latvia Rotterdam, Netherlands Vienna, Austria Vilnius, Lithuania

In Popular culture

• In 1968 as a response to the Soviet Invasion of the city, the Israeli singer Shalom Hanoch wrote a song, also named "Prague", about the invasion which was sung by Arik Einstein. Bilbao, (also Bilbo) in the North of Spain, is the largest city in the Basque Country and the capital of the province of Biscay (Basque Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. (IPA /kʲoːto / is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Phoenix (ˈfiːˌnɪks O'odham Skikik, Yavapai Wasinka, Western Apache Fiinigis, Navajo Hoozdo, The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Saint Petersburg ( tr: Sankt-Peterburg,) is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Taipei ( Taiwanese Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tâi-pak-chhī Jhuyin Fuhao: ㄊㄞˊ ㄅㄟˇ ㄕˋ Hakka: Thòi-pet-sṳ has been the capital of REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Jasło (Jassel Jessel 1325) is a County town in south-eastern Poland with 38104 inhabitants Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located ARTICLE TEXT BEGINS AFTER THESE COMMENTS - PLEASE READ 1 Please do not edit the lead without reading Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Copenhagen (ˌkəʊpənˈheɪgən ˌkəʊpənˈhɑːgən ˈkəʊpənˌheɪgən ˈkəʊpənˌhɑːgən kʰøb̥ənˈhɑʊ̯ˀn kʰøb̥m̩ˈhɑʊ̯ˀn is the capital and largest city The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Helsinki (in Finnish;) or Helsingfors (in Swedish;) is the Capital and largest city of Finland. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Lisbon (Lisboa liʒˈboɐ is the Capital and largest city of Portugal. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Riga (Rīga riːga) the Capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of the river Daugava. Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. Rotterdam (pronounced) is the 2nd-largest City by population in the Netherlands, located in the province of The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Vienna ( in Wien; see also other names) is the Capital of Austria, and is also one of the nine States of Austria. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania (Lietuvos Respublika is a Country in Eastern often referred to as Northern Europe or in the On the night of August 20 - August 21, 1968, the Soviet Union and four of its Warsaw Pact allies invaded the Czechoslovak Socialist Shalom Hanoch (Hebrew שלום חנוך b September 1 1946) is an Israeli rock Singer, Lyricist and Composer, considered Arik Einstein (אריק איינשטיין born January 3, 1939) is a successful and influential Israeli Singer-songwriter. Although it was received badly at first, it later on began to be received more warmly by audiences in Israel and in the Czech republic.

See also

• Bethlehem Chapel
• Infant Jesus of Prague
• Golem of Prague
• Districts of Prague
• Famous people connected with Prague
• Prague uprising
• Prague Zoo

References

External Links and Readings

• Official Website
• Prague Public Transport Company - including traffic map and search
• The Prague Post - the English-language newspaper in Prague
• Prague tourist information videoportal
• Prague travel guide from Wikitravel

• Prague - sights, culture

Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
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